2027 Presidency : Discard North-South zoning plan for competency

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Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has called for an end to the traditional North-South presidential zoning arrangement, advocating instead for a merit-based or geo-political zoning model that prioritizes competence and fairness across all regions.

Speaking at the maiden international conference organized by the Department of Political Science at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, themed “Africa at Crossroads: Confronting Governance, Security and Development Challenges in the 21st Century,” Metuh argued that Nigeria’s development should not be held hostage by regional power-sharing arrangements that fail to deliver capable leadership.

“If zoning must continue, it should be based on the six geo-political zones to give every region a fair shot at leadership. Otherwise, we should discard zoning altogether and focus solely on competence,” he stated.

Metuh also advocated for a constitutional amendment to prevent elected officials from defecting from one political party to another unless their original party has collapsed, ceased to exist, or merged with another—warning against political instability driven by personal ambition rather than principle.

Highlighting the deeper structural issues plaguing Nigeria’s democracy, Metuh emphasized the urgent need to strengthen political institutions. He criticized the country’s major political parties for lacking ideological depth, consistency, and internal discipline—factors he said contribute to widespread public distrust, poor governance, and policy inconsistency.

“Strong institutions, particularly functional political parties, are essential for sustainable development. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, political parties are weak, poorly funded, ideologically hollow, and lack programmatic discipline,” he said.

Drawing on historical and global examples, Metuh warned against growing public disillusionment, especially among young people, which has led to increasing admiration for authoritarian regimes like China’s and nostalgic views of military rule.

“While there is growing frustration with democratic governance, history has shown that military rule ultimately brings more harm than good. The solution is not to abandon democracy, but to fix the multi-party system by ensuring parties are grounded in ideology, transparency, and the rule of law,” he concluded.

Metuh’s remarks contribute to ongoing debates on political reform in Nigeria as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.